1. Heat shock protein vaccination and directed IL-2 therapy amplify tumor immunity rapidly following bone marrow transplantation in mice
by Robert G. Newman, Michael J. Dee, Thomas R. Malek, Eckhard R. Podack, and Robert B. Levy
Blood
Volume 123(19):
May 8, 2014
©2014 by American Society of Hematology

2. Vaccination with tumor cells secreting the heat shock protein fusion gp96-Ig led to the activation, expansion, and functional competence of tumor-reactive CD8+ T lymphocytes in syngeneic HSCT recipients.
Vaccination with tumor cells secreting the heat shock protein fusion gp96-Ig led to the activation, expansion, and functional competence of tumor-reactive CD8+ T lymphocytes in syngeneic HSCT recipients. Conditioned (9.5 Gy) B6 mice were transplanted with 5.0 × 106 B6-CD45.1+ TCD-BM cells and adoptively transferred with 1.0 × 106 CD8+ T cells specific for OVA (OT-I) 5 days later. After a 2-day resting period, recipients were vaccinated intraperitoneally with irradiated (120 Gy) EL-4 lymphoma cells expressing OVA (E.G7) engineered to secrete gp96-Ig (E.G7-gp96-Ig). (A) Macrophages (F4/80hi CD11bhi Gr-1lo) and inflammatory monocytes (Gr-1hi CD11bmid F4/80lo) infiltrated the peritoneal cavity 2 days following vaccination with gp96-Ig-secreting tumor cells; n = 9 from a pool of 3 experiments. (B) Tumor-reactive CD8+ T lymphocytes (OT-I: CD8+ CD45.1− Vα2+ Vβ5+) expanded in the peritoneal cavity 5 days following vaccination with tumor cells secreting gp96-Ig; n = 8 from a pool of 3 experiments. (C) Tumor-reactive CD8+ T cells accumulated in secondary lymphoid organs 5 days following a second vaccination (13 days after HSCT) with gp96-Ig-secreting tumor cells; n = 3. (D) Vaccination with gp96-Ig-secreting tumor cells up to 2 weeks after HSCT resulted in expansion of cotransplanted tumor-reactive CD8+ T cells 5 days later; n = 3 to 8 from 3 independent experiments. (E) Tumor-reactive CD8+ T lymphocytes transitioned from central-memory (TCM, CD62L+ CD44+) to effector cells (Teff, CD62L− CD44+) following vaccination with tumor cells secreting gp96-Ig: (left) representative dot plots; (right) n = 5 to 6 from a pool of 2 experiments. (F) Vaccination with gp96-Ig-secreting tumor cells induced highly IFN-γ+ tumor-reactive CD8+ T cells: (left) representative dot plots; (right) n = 4 from a representative of 3 experiments.
Robert G. Newman et al. Blood 2014;123:
©2014 by American Society of Hematology

3. B7 costimulation, Batf3 and perforin-1 were required for optimal tumor-reactive CD8+ T-lymphocyte expansion induced by vaccination with gp96-Ig-secreting tumor cells following syngeneic HSCT. BM transplants were performed as in Figure 1 using mice deficient...
B7 costimulation, Batf3 and perforin-1 were required for optimal tumor-reactive CD8+ T-lymphocyte expansion induced by vaccination with gp96-Ig-secreting tumor cells following syngeneic HSCT. BM transplants were performed as in Figure 1 using mice deficient in (A-B) CD80 and CD86 (B7KO), (C) Batf3 (Batf3KO), or (D) perforin-1 (PrfKO) as donors and/or recipients with (A) coinfusion or (B-D) delayed infusion of (A-B,D) 1.0 × 106 or (C) 0.5 × 106 tumor-reactive CD8+ T cells (OT-I), and the peritoneal cavity was analyzed 5 days following intraperitoneal vaccination with tumor cells secreting gp96-Ig. (A) Donor and recipient APC contributed to expansion of tumor-reactive CD8+ T cells, that were cotransplanted with the BM, following vaccination with gp96-Ig-secreting tumor cells; n = 3 to 9 from a pool of 3 experiments. (B) Only donor APC contributed to expansion of tumor-reactive CD8+ T lymphocytes, that were infused 5 days after HSCT, induced by vaccination with tumor cells secreting gp96-Ig; n = 2 to 4 from a pool of 2 experiments. (C) Donor cross-presenting CD11c+ CD8α+ dendritic cells were required for optimal expansion of tumor-reactive CD8+ T cells following vaccination with gp96-Ig-secreting tumor cells; n = 5. (D) Perforin-1 could be supplied by either donor or recipient cells for optimal expansion of tumor-reactive CD8+ T lymphocytes following vaccination with tumor cells secreting gp96-Ig; n = 2 to 4 from a pool of 2 experiments.
Robert G. Newman et al. Blood 2014;123:
©2014 by American Society of Hematology

4. Tumor-reactive CD8+ T lymphocytes obtained from tumor-bearing donors were expanded and functional following transplantation into syngeneic HSCT recipients and vaccination with tumor cells secreting gp96-Ig.
Tumor-reactive CD8+ T lymphocytes obtained from tumor-bearing donors were expanded and functional following transplantation into syngeneic HSCT recipients and vaccination with tumor cells secreting gp96-Ig. Conditioned (9.5 Gy) B6 recipients received B6-CD45.1+ TCD-BM cells supplemented with 2.0 × 106 B6-CD90.1+ CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes obtained from E.G7 lymphoma-bearing donors, containing ∼1000 tumor-reactive CD8+ T cells (OT-I). Recipients were vaccinated intraperitoneally with irradiated (40 Gy) E.G7 cells secreting gp96-Ig 2 days after HSCT and repeated every 3 days for a total of 5 vaccinations. (A) CD4+ and CD8+ splenic and LN T cells from a typical tumor-bearing B6-CD90.1+ donor mouse. These animals were injected 3 weeks before HSCT with 5.0 × 105 CD8+ OT-I T lymphocytes intravenously and 4.0 × 106 E.G7 lymphoma cells intraperitoneally and bear progressively growing tumors. Tumor was only detectable at the site of injection (peritoneal cavity) at this time. Total events analyzed represented 2.5 × 106 viable cells, and CD8+ OT-I T lymphocytes were clearly identified (1000 CD8+ CD90.1− Vα2+ Vβ5+/1.0 × 106 CD8+ CD90.1+). (B) Multiple vaccinations with gp96-Ig-secreting tumor cells induced expansion of tumor-reactive CD8+ T cells obtained from tumor bearing donors; n = 4; ♦, E.G7; ●, E.G7-gp96-Ig. (C) Tumor-reactive CD8+ T lymphocytes expanded at the vaccine site and other lymphoid tissues 5 days following 3 vaccinations with tumor cells secreting gp96-Ig; n = 2. (D) Vaccination with gp96-Ig-secreting tumor cells induced highly IFN-γ+ and TNF-α+ tumor-reactive CD8+ T cells 5 days following 3 vaccinations; representative dot plots from n = 2.
Robert G. Newman et al. Blood 2014;123:
©2014 by American Society of Hematology

5. Multiple vaccinations with tumor cells secreting gp96-Ig expanded tumor-reactive CD8+ T lymphocytes and increased survival in T cell-replete syngeneic HSCT recipients with lymphoma.
Multiple vaccinations with tumor cells secreting gp96-Ig expanded tumor-reactive CD8+ T lymphocytes and increased survival in T cell-replete syngeneic HSCT recipients with lymphoma. Transplants were performed as in Figure 3, and recipients were inoculated intraperitoneally with 1.0 × 105 E.G7 lymphoma cells the following day to simulate tumor relapse after HSCT. (A) Equivalent survival of HSCT recipients with lymphoma receiving T cells from tumor-bearing or tumor-naive donors or no T cells; n = 4 to 5 from 3 independent experiments; x, no vaccine (tumor); +, no vaccine (naive); −, no T cells. (B) Multiple vaccinations with gp96-Ig-secreting tumor cells efficiently expanded tumor-reactive CD8+ T cells in lymphoma-bearing HSCT recipients. Two days following tumor inoculation, recipients were vaccinated intraperitoneally with irradiated (40 Gy) E.G7 lymphoma cells secreting gp96-Ig and repeated every 3 days for a total of 5 vaccinations; n = 20 from pool of 4 experiments; x, no vaccine; ♦, E.G7; ●, E.G7-gp96-Ig. (C) Vaccination with tumor cells secreting gp96-Ig led to increased MST and overall survival of lymphoma-bearing HSCT recipients; n = 4 to 5; x, no vaccine; ♦, E.G7; ●, E.G7-gp96-Ig; ○, E.G7-gp96-Ig (no T cells). The no vaccine group illustrated here is shown in A with other nonvaccinated groups. (D) Equivalent survival of vaccinated HSCT recipients receiving T cells from tumor-bearing or tumor-naive donors; n = 6; ●, E.G7-gp96-Ig (tumor); ○, E.G7-gp96-Ig (naive).
Robert G. Newman et al. Blood 2014;123:
©2014 by American Society of Hematology

6. IL-2 administered in vivo after complex with anti-IL-2 mAb effectively expanded CD8+ T lymphocytes and augmented antitumor immunity induced by vaccination with tumor cells secreting gp96-Ig in lymphoma-bearing syngeneic HSCT recipients.
IL-2 administered in vivo after complex with anti-IL-2 mAb effectively expanded CD8+ T lymphocytes and augmented antitumor immunity induced by vaccination with tumor cells secreting gp96-Ig in lymphoma-bearing syngeneic HSCT recipients. Transplants, tumor inoculation, and treatments were performed as in Figure 4, and mice received IL-2S4B6 1 day following each vaccination as indicated. (A) IL-2S4B6 treatment induced robust expansion of CD8+ T cells in vaccinated HSCT recipients with lymphoma during the first 3 weeks after HSCT. CD8+ T-cell frequency in the peripheral blood; n = 20 from a pool of 4 experiments; x, no vaccine; ♦, E.G7; ●, E.G7-gp96-Ig; ■, E.G7-gp96-Ig + IL-2S4B6. (B) Tumor-reactive CD8+ T lymphocytes markedly expanded at the vaccine site and other lymphoid tissues of lymphoma-bearing HSCT recipients 5 days following 3 treatments with IL-2S4B6 and gp96-Ig vaccine. Tumor-reactive CD8+ T-cell number in the peritoneal cavity, spleen, and draining LNs; n = 2. (C) Combination therapy with vaccination and IL-2S4B6 increased MST and overall survival of syngeneic HSCT recipients with lymphoma. Noncomplexed, unbound IL-2 in combination with vaccination failed to enhance survival of lymphoma-bearing HSCT recipients; n = 5; ●, E.G7-gp96-Ig; ♦, E.G7-gp96-Ig + IL-2; ■, E.G7-gp96-Ig + IL-2S4B6. (D) IL-2S4B6 in the absence of vaccination marginally enhanced survival of lymphoma bearing HSCT recipients; n = 5; x, IL-2S4B6; ●, E.G7-gp96-Ig; ■, E.G7-gp96-Ig + IL-2S4B6. (E) MST and overall survival of T cell-replete syngeneic HSCT recipients with lymphoma following vaccination and IL-2S4B6 was independent of transgenic antigen-specific CD8+ T-cell presence; n = 5; ●, E.G7-gp96-Ig; ○, E.G7-gp96-Ig (no OT-I); ■, E.G7-gp96-Ig + IL-2S4B6; □, E.G7-gp96-Ig + IL-2S4B6 (no OT-I). (F) CD8+ effector T-cell numbers at the vaccine site were markedly increased only following vaccine and IL-2S4B6 treatment. CD8+ Teff (CD62L− CD44+), including endogenous non-TCR transgenic DimerX−Kb−OVA , cell numbers in the peritoneal cavity; n = 5. (G) Combined EL4-gp96-Ig and IL-2S4B6 vaccination strategy prolonged MST in EL4-bearing HSCT recipients; n = 5; x, no vaccine; ♦, IL-2S4B6; ●, EL4-gp96-Ig; ■, EL4-gp96-Ig + IL-2S4B6.
Robert G. Newman et al. Blood 2014;123:
©2014 by American Society of Hematology

7. Donor non-CD8+ cells were required for optimal antitumor immunity induced by combination therapy with gp96-Ig-secreting tumor cell vaccination and IL-2 cytokine-antibody complexes in syngeneic HSCT recipients with lymphoma.
Donor non-CD8+ cells were required for optimal antitumor immunity induced by combination therapy with gp96-Ig-secreting tumor cell vaccination and IL-2 cytokine-antibody complexes in syngeneic HSCT recipients with lymphoma. Transplants, tumor inoculation, and treatments were performed as in Figure 5; however, some recipients received BM supplemented with purified CD4+ (≥88%) or CD8+ (≥90%) T cells in the absence of OT-I. (A) CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell content of purified CD4+ or CD8+ T cells. (B) Donor CD8+ T cells efficiently expanded following vaccination and IL-2S4B6 in the absence of donor CD4+ T cells. Donor CD8+ T-cell frequency in the peripheral blood; n = 5; ●, E.G7-gp96-Ig; ○, E.G7-gp96-Ig (purified CD8); ■, E.G7-gp96-Ig + IL-2S4B6; □, E.G7-gp96-Ig + IL-2S4B6 (purified CD8). The results for E.G7-gp96-Ig + IL-2S4B6 and E.G7-gp96-Ig + IL-2S4B6 (purified CD8) were repeated in an independent experiment. (C) In the absence of donor CD4+ T cells, donor CD8+ T-effector cells were not efficiently generated following vaccine and IL-2S4B6. Donor CD8+ Teff (CD62L− CD44+) cell frequency in the peripheral blood; n = 5 from a representative of 2 experiments; ●, E.G7-gp96-Ig; ■, E.G7-gp96-Ig + IL-2S4B6; □, E.G7-gp96-Ig + IL-2S4B6 (purified CD8). The results for E.G7-gp96-Ig + IL-2S4B6 and E.G7-gp96-Ig + IL-2S4B6 (purified CD8) were repeated in an independent experiment. (D) Survival benefit of vaccination and IL-2S4B6 therapy is reduced in lymphoma-bearing HSCT recipients receiving TCD-BM supplemented with purified CD8+ T cells and abolished in recipients of purified CD4+ T cells; n = 5 to 10 from a pool of 3 experiments; x, no vaccine; ●, E.G7-gp96-Ig; ■, E.G7-gp96-Ig + IL-2S4B6; □, E.G7-gp96-Ig + IL-2S4B6 (purified CD8); ◊, E.G7-gp96-Ig + IL-2S4B6 (purified CD4).
Robert G. Newman et al. Blood 2014;123:
©2014 by American Society of Hematology

8. IL-2 complex therapy enhanced NK cell numbers and antipathogen immunity in HSCT recipients.
IL-2 complex therapy enhanced NK cell numbers and antipathogen immunity in HSCT recipients. (A) IL-2S4B6 therapy elicited large numbers of NK cells in the peritoneal cavity of intraperitoneally vaccinated HSCT recipients 5 days following the third treatment. NK1.1+ cell numbers in the peritoneal cavity; n = 2. (B) IL-2S4B6-treated HSCT recipients displayed fewer splenic bacterial CFU following intravenous inoculation with 1.0 × 104 CFU L monocytogenes 14 days after HSCT and 4 infusions of IL-2S4B6 starting 3 days after HSCT and repeated every 3 days. CFU numbers in the spleen 7 days after infection; n = 5 from representative of 2 experiments; x, no HSCT; ●, HSCT; ■, HSCT + IL-2S4B6.
Robert G. Newman et al. Blood 2014;123:
©2014 by American Society of Hematology